Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1887-04-05
Director Hendricks Wants TO Rescind
the Action of the Folsom Meeting.

Director Hendricks wants TO hesciiu
the Action of the Folsom Meeting.
SAN QUENTIN, April 4th.-[Special. THE
Board of Prison Directors met at A. NJ.
to-day. Present-Directors Boggs, Hend-
ricks, Devlin, Sonntag and Wilkins. The
monthly bills were audited and ordered
paid. Director Hendricks brought up the
question of prison labor and introduced
the following, which, after lengthy dis
cussion, was laid upon the table:
The following protest and resolutions against
the action of the Prison Directors at Folsom
Prison on the 18th ultimo. resolving to shut
down all industries excepting the jute works.
are hereby respectfully presented:
viii not invoke argument to prove, but as
sumo as facts susceptible of demonstration, that
every individual must labor for his subsistence,
and for his moral welfare and happiness; that
labor is necessary as a preventive 10 crime, ana
equality necessary to reform from criminal life;
and this universal law of labor applies without
exception to every human being, whether bond
or free.
Ignorance of how to work, or a disposition to
avoid this memorable labor requirement is
fruitful source of crime, and obedience to it is
both preventive and reformatory.
There is no convict labor but that conflicts
either present or prospectively) will all free
labor in the same line, proportionately to out
put.
All classes of society should bear, as nearly as
possible their just proportion of the expense of
prison support.
To put all the prison inmates or large num-
bers of them, to work at the same occupation
las, for example, formerly at Sing Sing and Fol-
som, where at the former prison nearly thou
sand prisoners were employed in foundry work,
or at Folsom, where large proportion of the
eonvicts were employed in quarrying and cut
ting granitel, seemed unjust to the free labor
class engaged in those industries in that il
caused them to bear more than their proportion
of the prison burden.
The best and, as it seems to me, the only way
IN * n
trades and occupations as far as at all possible,
thereby minimizing the objections to convict
labor. This course would be in The line OF the
best interest of the prisoner-and the best inter-
est of the prisoner is always the best interest of
society-in furnishing the prison authorities a
greater variety from which to select trade or
business adapted to each prisoner, and which is
calculated to enable him to go out into society q
selfsupporting citizen.
This the Board. in the interest of good man
agement, have not only the undoubted right,
but it is their duty. To do it nulliies no law, it
renders less valuable no property of the State. it
minimzes the objections to convict labor, and
benefits society in benefiting the prisoner
since such is the case, there should be no CON
flict of feeling on the subject for that which is
for the best interest of the whole, ia ought to
be, for the best interest of every part. But so
fsr as the action OF the Directors is at present
concerned, it is unnecessary for the Board to
inquire which system is right or which wrong.
from any standpoint.
Our plain duty is to execute the law as we
ma H. ana 10 carry out the system PROVIDED IOr
by legislative act, in the best and least objee-
tionable manner
The State has appropriated large amounts of
money in providing the present system (whether
right or not, so as to provide profitable labor
for its convicts; and tits not for to arbitrarily
Judge of that policy. but to carry oJt the plain
intent, without question as to whether right or
wrong; particularly after having especially re-
ported the whole subject to the Legislature for
so ution, without its debating any change.
The Board is simply clothed with the power
to superintend within the law; not the power
10 nullify statutory provisions or to destroy
property; end fear restraining action to pre-
vent the Carrying out of the resolution passed
at the last meeting OF the Board at Folsom.
While the manufacture of jute goods is at
present not materially in conflict with free L.
Dor, and is of great Importance to the farming
interests ofthe State it ought to be encouraged
but as the prisoners 10 that business are taught
pursuit which they cannot utilize when they
get OUTLET without business or trade for self
suppor', and which tends to force them into
crime and back into prison again therefore
be it
Resolred, That the resolution stopping the
manufacture OF all goods or articles of any
kind, except jute goods, at either prison, for
sale" passed at the last meeting OF the Board at
Folsom on the 10Th ut., be rescinded.
RCsOlred That the Wardens of each prison be
requested, instead of stopping industries, TO in
crease the enumberindefnitely and to work as few
conYicts as possible on any one branch, thereby
benefting the prisoner, benelting society, and
minimizing the cause OF free labor objections.